The Consumer Complaints Blog

Rogers is a Canadian company that provides television and cell phone service in Canada. Because of the liberal Canadian laws and the stiff capitalist competition allowed, they are one of only two companies in Toronto to offer television service and one of the four that offer cell phone service. No wait. Rogers now owns Fido so they can stand on the podium of three. Wow! Talk about consumer choice.

Where to begin with Rogers? Over the past few years they have done more to irritate me as a consumer than any other company I’ve been forced to deal with. Should I start with their shoddy internet service which is guaranteed (not in writing) to go down at least once a month? Or maybe their wireless phone service and their inability to register my address change after sending out a bill to my new address and then cancelling my service? Or how about their cable tv offerings of “digital” channels which are for the most part analog?

No. That would take a month to write about. Instead, let’s talk about the Rogers store at Yonge and Sheppard.

I just moved into a condo near Yonge and Sheppard in Toronto. The “maintenance” fees include basic cable service. So, I thought I’d go down to the Rogers store and ask about getting some of those digital channels they’re always talking about. I walk into the store:

Three people in succession speak to me.

Them: “Hello.”
Me: “Hi.”
Them: “Hello.”
Me: “Hi.”
Them: “Hello.”
Me: “Hi.”

Okay. So everyone behind the counter says hello. Strange. Usually they’re just rude. This is a change…

I should at this point mention that I have a backpack on. I proceed to make my way to the service counter where they deal with the cable services and inquiries. The counter is maybe 4.5 meters (15 feet) from the front barrage of hellos.

Just as I turn away from my last “Hi”:

Them: “Ummm… I’m sorry but… Can I ask you to leave your bag at the counter?”
Me: “I’m just going over there to talk to them. I promise not to steal anything.”

I point to the counter within plain view of the front desk.

Them: “I know but it’s a policy.” (Delivered with a contrived smile which pretty much turned my stomach at this point.)

Perhaps I should explain my incense. This location just opened up a few weeks ago. It’s not like they have had a long history of people stealing chocolate bars. Everything else has a magnetic strip inside the case after all so I can’t really see the great economic harm they fear.

No, this is just a company deciding that even though I’m there to offer them my hard earned money, I’m a criminal above all else. I can’t even feign racial discrimination as I’m not a minority. But my wife is so maybe they thought she’d be doing the stealing and shoving it into my standard issue shoplifter backpack.

I can’t figure out any excuse for them other than stupid policy decisions carried out by trained monkeys. Chimps who can’t connect the fact that the money I was there to offer to their company goes straight to their minimum wage paycheques. But I guess me leaving my bag behind the counter is more important than running their business.

I wouldn’t have minded so much really, but leaving my bag there would have meant taking out my personal belongings, wallet and phone and so on, and then carrying them around for no reason.

To finish my story:

Me: “No! I don’t want to leave you my bag.”

I then proceeded to vote with my wallet and walk out of the store muttering some kind of profanity. The previously “Hello” shrieking chimps huffing offensively at my behaviour. (Yes. I was in a bit of a bad mood as well.)

What happened to customer service? What happened to human intelligence and personal freedoms? When did people become such sheep? How is it okay for a corporation to request your personal property or not offer you service?